Washing machine basket



May 7, 1940.

O. 'l'. DEHLE WASHING MACHINE BASKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Fab. 6, 1937 oa so o v una no una a no ncaa au non ou 00u. obo o 09000 00e u ...no o o o nooo no nos.. .n s o anon een .a ...o l o e .0 o co1 annua o o e a no c nOu/l C INVENTOR Otto TID'hla ATTORNEY May 7V, 1940. o. r. DEI-ILE WASHING MACHINE BASKET Filed Feb. 6, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2' May 7, 1940- o. T. DEHLE 2.199.539

WASHING MACHINE BASKET Filed Feb.' rs.l 1931 s sheets-sneer s INVENTOR @tto TDehZe.

BY I

ATTORNEY Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE a y 7 Claims.

l This invention relates to improvements in Washing machine baskets and has for its object the provision of a basket adapted to fit within the tub of a washing machine, such, for example, '5 as that shown in U, S. Patent 1,775,554, dated September 9, 1930. Such machines as described in said patent wash clothes solely by a vigorous and rapid movement of soapy water in a tank. This is accomplished by providing a suitable pump which forces water into the tubthrough a plurality of jets or streams, said pump withdrawing the water from the tub via a return pipe to the suction side of the pump. The incoming streams agitate the clothes in the tub until thoroughly washed, in the manner described in the aforesaid patent, the clothes occupying practically the entire area inside the tub, no mechanical paddles or agitators being used.

One of the problems present with this type of Washer is to prevent the clothes from clogging the return pipe; another is to easily and quickly fill and empty the tub with clothes. Also, it is dicult to drain the clothes when they are removed piecemeal from the tub.

.The present invention eliminates these di'iculties and others, as will be apparent. from the following specification which also refers brieily to further objects and advantages of the invention which is particularly adapted for use in laundries where large machines are .used and large quantities of clothes are washed in a batch. By way of illustration the invention is described as applied to a basket for use with the Washing machine described in the aforesaid patent, but it will be obvious the invention can be used with any other suitable type of washer.

`In the accompanying drawings: A

Figure 1 is a sectional view on the line I-I, Figure 3, of a basket constituting this invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure. 1; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the basket, Figure l; l

Figure 4 is a side view of the basket, Figure 1;

45 Figure 5 is a perspective view of the basket,

Figure 1, in the tub of a washing machine showing its relation to the water pipes therein, the tub T being shown in dot-and-dash lines to permit the parts therein to be clearly seen;

Figure 6 is an enlarged View of the manifolds on the basket shown in the preceding figures; Figure 7 is a view of the inside wall of the basket, Figure l, showing drain holes opening into the manifolds; l' Y Figure 8 a sectional view on the line 8 8,

Figure 4, showing fixed and sliding guides on the ends of the basket; and

Figure 9 is a view, partly in elevation, showing the guides and sliding shoes on the ends of the basket. 1

In Figure 1 the numeralV Ill'denotes the inner lining or wall of the basketv constituting the bottom ends and sides thereof. This is as smooth as possible inside. 'I'he top of the basket is open although it may be closed with a suitable 10 cover if desired. 'Ihis inner wall is preferably made of metal, and the bottom is vperforated with small holes indicated at II which permit water to ow from the interior of the basket down into the spaces I2 below the bottom thereof. 15 The bottom is braced by a plurality of laterally extending ribs I3, as shown.

'Ihe side and end Walls are perforated as just described, these holes being arranged in vertical columns as indicated at I 4, Figure -2, yand open- 20 ing into the interior I5 of the U-shaped manifolds I6. These manifolds are arranged vertically and spaced as shown in the drawings and are made of light brass or the same metal as the wall IU. The entire basket is constructed in any 25 suitable manner and bolted or welded together, the exact details of construction being immaterial to the carrying out of the invention.

The front of the basket is hinged at I'I, I8 to permit the front to be swung outwardly as shown 30 in dotted lines, Figure 1, to permit of easily loading and unloading the basket. A hasp or other suitable fastening (not shown) is provided to keep the front normally closed wheny the basket is in use. 35

All the manifolds are open at the bottom to permit free drainage of Water from the drainage spaces I5 therein. The outer walls of the manifolds I6, as shown at I9, are solid, which prevents Water running out of the basket through the sides thereof when the basket is lifted out of thetub. The Water can onlya run into the spaces I5 within the manifolds and is conducted thereby to the bottoms 20 thereof.

A plurality of relatively large apertures 2I are 4 made in thebottom of the 'basket,and similar apertures 22 are made along the back. Another row of apertures is made at 24 in the front. Slots 23 may extend down the front from the upper edge of the basket. 'Ihese holes and slots 50 permit the streams of water inthe washing machine tub to agitate the clot yesv in the basket and together with the holes II permit the Washing operation to be properly performed.

The arrangement of the large and small holes ILL u "Ifo and slots as just described is important as the proper flow of water in a washing machine of the type referred to, or any water-jet type, must not be impeded. Heretofore, for this reason, only open-mesh baskets have been employed, as, until the present invention, no way was known to employ a basket of relatively solid construction without so seriously impeding the water flow as to render the use of the basket impractical. Such open baskets have the further disadvantage that clothes become tangled in the open meshes, or wad together so they do not wash. vBy the improved construction here shown, the clothes kdo not tangle as the interior of the basket is comparatively smooth. The clothes vdo not wad as the water streams are clothes cannot collect in draw-olf pipe. two hundred to three hundred pounds of clothes can be handled therein at a wash. The removal of sludge is facilitated and the general efficiency of the washing machine is increased.

Reference to the aforesaid patent will disclose a washing machine inl which there'are three frontl ofthe return or streams of water going nto'the tub, the return or draw-off pipe taking water from .the top of the tub and returning `it to the pump.

In Figure 5 of the instant application, instead of threestreams'of water in the tub, four ,may be employed, but the operationis' the sameas that described in the aforesaid patent. In the aforesaid figure, there is a perforated manifold 2la` which discharges streams of water upwardly through the apertures 2l in the bottom of the basket. A second manifold 22a` discharges horizontal jetsofvwater through the apertures 22 in the back of the basket. Another manifold 23a. discharges water at an angle downwardly through the slots 23 in the front of the basket, these angular jets of water corresponding in respect to their general direction and action to the oblique opening 4I shown in the aforesaid patents.

Another set of jets or streams from the pipe 24a enter the basket horizontally through the apertures 24 in the front thereof.

It will be seen from the foregoing that there is a series of vertical streams of water impinging on the clothes in the basket through the holes 2l in the bottom thereof and two horizontal sets of jets, one entering through the holes 22 in the rear and holes 2li in the front respectively which jets tend to give the clothes a rotary motion, and that in addition, there are the downwardly directed streams or jets that enter the basket through the slots 23 in the upper part of the front. The direction and force of these various water streams is such as to cause the entire mass of clothes within the basket to revolve and to turn and agitate the clothes therein so that they are thoroughly washed.

The basket may be mounted in the tub T, Figure 5, of the washing machine by attaching to the inside of the tub at each end thereof a U-shaped channel member 25. Each of these channel members engages a pinion member 26 which telescopes thereon and these guides are located between adjacent manifolds 21, 28, the whole assembly being held in place between said manifolds by the strips or guides 29, 30 which may be welded to the manifolds as shown inV Figure 8. This arrangement permits the basket Vto be lifted bodily as bymeans ofthe block and f all 3l, the hook of rwhich engages a pin 32 which extends between two angle irons 33,-34,-securedto the top not impeded and thev The basket structure is rigid vand of the tub as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5. Instead of this, any suitable arrangement located either inside or outside the washing machine tub can be employed for raising the basket above the upper edge of the tub, so that clothes may be placed in the basket or removed therefrom.

It will be seen that when the basket is raised from the tub that the outer imperforate surface of the manifolds prevent the water from squirting out through the small perforations il all over the surface of the basket, which small streams of water would extend over outside the washing .machine tub. The presence of the manifolds horizontally, it is sufcient to pull the basket part .jway'out of the tub,` let it drain for a moment, then lift it all the way out of emptying and filling position.

Because the-basket is perforated -all around, it drains instantlyandfby letting it hang suspended for afew moments, the weight of the clothes on themselves bring about-a draining.V action. Such drainingl action is obviouslynot present .-inany form of basket having solid interior walls `merely provided -w-ith the watery circulating apertures such as 22 and 2li. rThe presence of the additional perforations il therefore not only -increase the free circulation during the-washingperiod, but also `secure rapid draining. What is claimed is: l l. A washing machine basket having perforated bottom and outer side walls and a plurality of manifolds having imperforate outer walls overlying said perforated outer side walls, said manifolds being open at their bottoms to permit the free escape of liquidtherefrom.

`2,. A washing machine basket comprising an inner. lining, a plurality of vertical Uv-shaped manifolds secured to the outer side walls thereof, said wallsbeing perforated between the legs of each manifold to. permit liquid to flow from the interior of said basket into said manifolds.v

3.v The basket as claimed in claim 2 wherein the bottom of the basket is perforated with rows of perforations and is stiffened by transverse members overlying the outside of said bottom between said rows of perforations.

4. In a washing machine, in combination with a tub, a basket located in said tub, said basket having smooth interior walls and a plurality of apertures therein permitting free circulation of water therethrough, and said walls having additional smaller apertures therein, and a plurality of hollow manifolds overlying said last apertures and having their lower ends discharging outside and below the bottom of the basket.

5. The combination as claimed in claim A'4 wherein oneside of said basket overlaid with manifolds as claimed, is hinged to permit the contents of said basket to be removed through said hinged side.

6. A basket for a washing machine comprising a rectangular receptacle having smooth inner walls, a plurality of vertical ducts having flat flanged portions thereon spacing said ducts apart and lying in Contact with the outside of said wall, said walls being perforated where they overlie the interior of said ducts.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 4 wherein one of the vwalls of the basket together withsaidL manifolds thereon -is Vhinged to permit the contents-of the basket to be dumped.

` OTTO T.DEHLE. 

